So they learn to express themselves (loudly if necessary) when someone does something that they really don't like...?

It's not about turning kids into tantrum monsters, it's about telling them "Listen, those crazy people mean no harm and I can't really stop them from petting/carrying/tickling you, because then I would be rude towards them, but if you don't like it, it is ok to show it, and I won't force you to be nice to people who don't care about your feelings."

But maybe that's just me being an idiot for thinking that kids should learn to fend for themselves and express their discomfort...

@Lorena

Great post! Right on the money.

Just as the adult, tell people something like, "Please don't touch my children, thank you." Or "Please don't take pictures of my children, thank you."

Or walk really fast wherever you go ☺

Dye their hair black. See if that works ;-)

@Lorena
Yes, spot on. My thoughts exactly.

@Lorena... I don't agree teaching the children that these are crazy people when they are not. They really just think foreign kids are beautiful and they rarely see them. I've never heard of a Chinese person hurting, kidnapping or causing any harm ever to a foreign child, have you?

Of course protect your children but remember where you are and to teach tolerance is ok... you can always push the stroller or pick your kid up and literally move on your way.

Chinese kids get stolen cos it's easier for a childless Chinese couple to adopt them and pretend it is their own. That wouldn't work with little blonde kids!

@ The Dudesons

You said "@ Alien i suppose you don't have kids?

wait until you have kids, you would understand that."

Tremendously presumptuous of you! You will find many people have kids but don't get bent out of shape because some 80 year old granny pinches their kid's cheeks. Your implication is that somebody who doesn't share your view can't possibly have kids. How arrogant!

To me you say

"@daithi
really you don't understand? you can't (without worries) buy, formula, milk, baby clothes, toys, eat outside, join a preschool, hire a nanny without getting scared. or have to expect the worst.
you have that everywhere but nowhere on earth,will people give so little about babies safety to make an extra 5mao."

I don't see any direct connection with all the above and an 80 year old granny smiling and praising a kid. You are way too fond of hyperbole.

Then you said "so,now we let strangers fondle our kids without being asked?"

and "But you guys are expecting, no demandin to let a parent down their instincts to protect their child. for doing something even a chinese would freak out about."

I in fact offered some useful advice as to how to avoid it. Quite the opposite of your weird claim. And the word "fondle" is loaded. It's an important subject...why not use less loaded language?

"why don't we just hand our wallets,wives babies ...hell whole countries to chinese....don't wanna upset them and their culture, right? who goes first? Alien? daithi? we have 2 volunteers."

Again not what I or Alien (who can of course well speak for himself) said. More hyperbole and mis-portrayal.

Now as you mentioned abduction...in a country of 1.4 billion or whatever, how many Western kids have been abducted in the last 50 years? (not that abduction of a Chinese kid is any less horrible, but we are specifically discussing Western kids here). So yeah a potent mixture of hyperbole, not actually listening and paranoia. Why not offer something constructive instead?

@goldie122 Honey, Chinese people are crazy as in raving barking mad - which is the main reason why I like them so much. And no, I´m not being ironic, I actually really like Chinese people generally speaking, in my opinion they have some really cool spunk.

@Lorena... Honey, when referring to people as crazy, it usually implies a negative connotation as in someone who is mentally deranged or demented.